Organizers of the McDonald’s Coral Coast Fiji 7s are set to unveil an innovative approach for their 14th event, scheduled to kick off next week at Lawaqa Park in Sigatoka. This year, they have adopted artificial intelligence (AI) to determine the pool draws, a move that has sparked excitement among fans regarding the competitiveness of the various pools, particularly in the men’s division.
Tournament Co-Founder, Jay Whyte, referred to Group A as the “pool of death.” This group features the Fiji Babas, who have claimed victory in the last two tournaments, and will face off against the five-time champions Police. Additionally, the Seattle Barbarians from the USA and Nationwide Sydney Nadi from Australia will also compete in this intensely competitive pool.
Pool C is also drawing attention, consisting of teams such as USA 7s, Mike Friday Select, Dominion Brothers, and the Chennai Bulls from India, coached by Ben Gollings.
Whyte explained that the organizing team provided the necessary details to the AI, which was tasked with creating a balanced match setup for the event in 2026. He emphasized that they aimed for a fair representation of Fijian teams along with international competitors. By seeding the top teams, which included all national representatives, the AI generated what they believe to be an optimal pool configuration.
The Coral Coast 7s will commence next Thursday, and fans can catch all the thrilling action live and exclusively on FBC Sports. This unique utilization of technology not only enhances the transparency of the tournament’s organization but also adds an exciting element for spectators eager to see how teams perform under the new configurations.
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